Top casting and derrick construction



Aug. 25, 1931. D: D. WERTZBERGER 1,820,519 TOP CASTING AND DERRICK CONSTRUCTION FiledJune 2. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 EVE-57E T flallas E l lrizbegger Aug. 25, 1931. D; D. WERTZBERGER TOP CASTING AND DERRICK CONSTRUOTIbN Filed June 2, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 flallas fl Mrlzbegger Patented Aug. 25, 1931 DALLAS'D. WERTZBERGER, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA.

TOP CASTING AND DERRICKv CONSTRUCTION Application filed June 2,

This-invention relates to' improvements to top castings and=derrick constructions, and more particularly to top castings highly desirable for use'on derricks to supportan 6 upper fabricated unit or section thereon, in

an improved manner of construction, althrough devices of the type described herein embodying the present invention may be used on any desirable fabricated structure 10 as well asin other'places as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

At the outset it is to be distinctly understood that although the present invention is disclosed as associated with acombination 16 0f pipe and steel oil derrick, the same is readily adaptable, by very slight changes in the construction thereof, for use in practically any kind of fabricated structure without departing from the spirit of the 20 present invention.

' In the oil fields it has been found desirable to erect derricks asv economically as possible and with as great rapidity as possible. Obviously, derricks maybe put up in ad- Vance of their use to a reater extent if only a tentative scheme of t e under mechanism is used, i.'e., if just a preliminary and not a final plan for the disposition of the walking beam and bull wheel is used.. Then 3 when the lower mechanism is installed, certain of the derrick structures may be altered to accommodate the final plan or layout of ground mechanism. In'other instances,

it may be found desirable and advantageous to change the scheme of the ground mechanism, and obviously, a derrick which could be easily adjustable to accommodate such changes would be most'efiicient Inthe past, derricks have usually been 40 constructed with the location of all ground structure predetermined and definitely de cided upon. The derricks including the crown blocks and upper mechanism were constructed with the definite layout of .the

ground mechanism in mind, and with these formerly lmown derricks, to change the crown blocks and other upper mechanism,

- it was necessary to practically dismantle and rebuild the same. Moreover, these former- 1y known derricks were, in most instances,

1928. Serial No. 282,327.

complicated to an objectionable extent and necessitated an undesirable amount of time and labor in their construction. Further,

in the event a crows nest was mounted there- 1 on, which is highly desirable in modern der ricks, there; was not sufficient room in the crows nest to repair, adjust, or give adequate attention to the upper mechanism.

The present invention is designed to overcome'the above noted defects and objections in the provision of a derrick in which the upper structure is exceedingly simple, and in which certain elements are provided to each perform the work which was heretofore done by a plurality of elements involving a complicated structure.

The present invention also seeks to -pro vvide a derrick equipped with meansfor mounting a water table so that the water table may be mounted "or removed as an entire unit, and not builtup piece by piece in the construction of the derrick A further object of the present invention is to provide simple means for mounting a water table or upper section in such a manner that the same may be removed, rotated a predetermined angle and easily remounted in its new position.

Another object of the present invention isto provide means for mounting a water table or upper section on a fabricated structure in such a manner that the aforesaid water table or sectionmay be rotatably adjusted to any desired angle without dismantling any part of the fabricated structure proper, thereby enabling the mounting of a crown block or the like in any. desirable position regardless of the original position of ground mechanism relative to the water table or crown block. 1

A still further object of the present invention is to provide. a derrick equipped with acrows nest and acrownblock'mounted in such a manner that ample space is provided for attending or adjusting the crown block from the crows nest.

A still further object of the present in-- .vention is to provide ample and efficient means in a fabricated structure for supporting a'fabricated unit or section which characteristics, and advantages, of a device embodying the present invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the following disclosures.

The invention includes these and other features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described, and shown in a preferred form in the drawings, as more particularl indicated by the claims.

On the rawin s:

Figure 1 is a ragmentary view in elevation of a derrick equipped with an upper structure mounted on means embodying principles of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in elevation of the upper portion of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is aplan sectional View taken substantially as indicated by line IIIIII of Figure Figure 4 is a plan view of, one of the supporting elements embodying principles of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the element shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line VIVI of Figure 3. I H

Figure 7 is a fragmentary plan sectional .view taken substantially along line VII- VII of Figure 6.

As shown in the drawings: The structure selected to adequately disclose the illustrated embodiment of the present invention includes foundation means generally indicated by reference numeral 1, which may be of any desired type or of the ty e set forth in my copending application fbr foot castings for derricks and method of using the same, of even filing date, Serial No. 282,328, which has matured into Patent No. 1,781,889, November 18, 1930, upon which foundationsis mounted a derrick generally indicated by reference numeral 2 and which includes a plurality of legs 3, girts 4, and braces 5. The legs 3 are preferably in the form of pipes for facilitating erection. Adjacent the upper portion of the derrick 2, a set of the girts 4 together with angular securing means effectively provide a mounting base 6 for crows nest supports 7 which, together with other means to be hereinafter described, effectively support a crows nest 8 Novel means are provided in the present instance for supporting the inner portion of the crows nest 8 as well as su porting a crown block support or water ta le. These means preferably embody the form of a casting, shown more clearly in Figures 4 and 5, which is engageable with one of the legs 3 of the derrick, there being as many castings employed as the derrick has legs. Each of the castings comprises a plate 9 from which an outwardly inclined tubular portion 10 depends and which is slidable over the u per extremity of one of the legs 3 of the d rrick, to whlch it is secured by means of a bolt 11 passing through the tubular portion 10 and leg 3. Pro ectin normally from the tubular portion 10 an substantially at right angles to each other, are a pair of wings 12 which are provided with elongated apertures to accommodate bolts or rivets 13, or any desirable securing means, by which girts 4 and braces 5 are attached to the wings, as seen more clearly in Figure 6. Since both the legs 3 and tubular portion .10 have the same inward slant the late 9 will besubstantially horizontal. he plate 9 is provided with a plurality of apertures, elongated to permit adjustments which will be herein designated as groups 14, 15 and 16. I

en a casting is mounted on the top of each of the derrick le s 3, there will be, in this instance, four sufistantially horizontal plates 9 disposed at the upper corners of the derrick proper. These lates afford ready and efiiclent means for t e mounting thereon of a water table or crown block support which, in this instance, comprises a pair of parallel crown block supports 17-17 preferably in the form of I-beams which are connected adjacent their extremities by transverse crown block support headers 1818 which are referably connected to the supports 17-17 by angle irons 1919 rivete 0th to the headers 18-18 and support; 17-17, as seen more clearly in Figure Mounted on the crown block supports 1717 adjacent the mid-portions thereof is a crown block which, in this instance, is only diagrammatically shown, and comprises a pair of transverse pulley supports 2020 upon which a crown pulley 21 is mounted.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the entire water-table or crown block support is preferably mounted on the derrick in one complete single unit and not built up thereupon as has been the customary practice. When the water table is dis posedon the plates 9, as shown in Figure 3, the supports 17-17 are bolted to the plates 9 by bolts 14a passin through the apertures 14 in the plates. T e corner apertures 16 in the plates 9 accommodate bolts 16a which secure crows nest floor supports 22 to the plates; The remainder of the crowsnest floor supports are secured to the'top girts 4ofthe derrick, which lie beneath the supports '1717 and headers 1818 of the crown block. In this instance, the aper- 5 tures 15 in the plates are unused and left open. I

Now .assuming it is desired to change the position of the crown block, for in- .stance, ninety degrees, so that the crown pulley will be disposed transversely to the position shown in Figure 3, it is simply necessary to remove the bolts 14a from the the crown block sup orts 17- 17, lift the entire water table, t e' crown block being 15 carried therewith, rotate it ninety degrees and again bolt it to the'plates 9, utilizing the apertures 15, in this instance, and leaving the apertures 14 open. Obviously, in many instances, the crown block alone may be adjusted to a new position without moving the water table. To aid in manipulating the crown block -or water table or both, a gin pole structure is provided which includes a pair of upright gin pole supports 23 which are secured adjacent their lower extremities to the mounting base 6 in any desired manner and also to the'top girts 4 as indicated at 24 in Fi ure 3. The gin pole supports are projecte well above the crows 80 upper extremities by a gin pole beam 25, to which any desired tackle may be secured for the'proper handling of the crown block.

forth herein ample room is left at the crows nest to facilitate adjustments of, or attention to, the crown block or water table which are both disposed substantially at'the same level as the floor of the crows nest. It will also be noted that if, for any reason, it isdesired to move or shift the position of the crows nest as an entirety, it is simply necessary to release the floor supports thereof from the plates 9 and top girts 4 and release the crows nest supports 7 a from the mounting base 6, when the entire crows nest may be handled at will. i From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have provided novel top castings or supportim e ements for derricks or any desira le fabricated structure, which are each engageable, with girts, braces and a derrick leg, and adapted to support a water table or any desirable fabricated unit, to. thereby provide a rigid and durable structure. Ob-

viously, the positions and locations of the castings may be varied as found convenient to support any desired portion of the fabri-.

cated structure. Moreover, the castings as described herein are means to enable a novel top structure to be erected on a derrick affording ample room for workers and per- 7 mitting the ready adjustment of the crown block to any desirable osition. Further, thecastings, water tab e, and associated f "It is i to I be clearly understood, however, that though the supporting elements are'd'e "scribed ascastings they may beformedfin other ways and manners without departing {from the s irit of this invention. 1 It should also be un erstood. that while the terms derrick, girts, braces, and 'water' table, are used nest and crown block and are joined at their "including a plurality of legs, a top section 1 on said structure including a crows nest,

It should be noted, with the structure set.

fabricated structure, said e a plate provided with a pair of sets of elone structure, described herein, may 'beeconomi ally manufactured, assembled and dismantled. v g u 7s herein and in the appended claims, the supporting elementsfmay' be used with various moss-rods and' brac ng means in various types of fabricated structures, within the sec eof thisinvention. I

am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details" of construction may be varied through a wide range' with out departin from the principles of this invention and I, therefore, do not purpose.

limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention: 1. In combination, a derrick superstructure, a top section thereon, and means asso-. ciated with said top section for supporting a crown block in positions at right angles. to each other. i 2. In combination, a fabricated structure unitary means connected to each of said legs and engageable with'floor supports of said crows nest, and crown block supports supported by said means at substantially thel o level of the floor supports of said crows nest.

3. In combination, a derrick including a plurality of legs, girts and braces to rigidify said derrick, a crow a crown block support on said derrick, and integral means at each corner of said derrick engageable at once with one of said legs,

a pluralit of said girts and braces, floor supports or said crows nest, and with said '1 0.

crownblock support. a I 4. As an article of manufacture, a supporting element for an upper portion of a ement including gated apertures, one set for accommodating securing means for said upper portion when in one position, and the other set for accommodating securing means for said upper portion when in another position, and means on saidplate for engagement with a, main member of said structure. 5. As an article of manufacture, an ele-.

ment for supporting an upper portion of a I fabricated structure, said element including 1 5 a plate having a plurality of sets of apertures therein, each set accommodating securmg means for said upper portion for an 1ndividual position of the latter, an outwardly inclined portion depending from said plate s nest on said derrick, 105

.for engagement with a leg of said structure, means ,for securing said portion to said leg, and angularly. related wings provided with apertures to receive securing means on said 'dependin portion, sald wmgs bein each engageab e with bracing means of sai struc-- ture extendin in a plurality of directions.

6. In combination, a derrick superstructure, a top section thereon and crown block supporting means associated with said top section includin means for enabling the crown block to secured thereto in one sition and means for enabling the crown lock to be secured thereto in another position at right angles to the first position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name at Tulsa, Tulsa County, I Oklahoma.- 7 I DALLAS D. WERTZBERGER. 

